Tuesday, May 26, 2015

I
gotta be sincere, this week was an emotional WHIRLWIND. In both good and bad
ways. First things first, Sorella Margheriti is getting transferred to Rome 6
for her "death transfer". (Note: Last transfer before going home). It's strange that she's leaving me after all the time
we've served together, but it's a great comfort to me to know that she won't be
so far away. We'll be able to see each other a couple times during her last
transfer so this is great news. We also decided that we're buying matching
skirts before she leaves Rome 5. I am STOKED. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE LOTS OF
FUN.

Sorella
McPheters will be my new companion! And I'm going to be SENIOR COMPANION. THAT
IS SO WEIRD. I feel like I'm not experienced enough or old enough yet for that
but I'm excited! I know the Lord trusts me with that responsibility. Maybe He's
preparing me to train somebody in the next few months... Who knows... The
mission really teaches you to be prepared for anything. And to accept sudden
changes.

Anziano
Bellows is going to blow-in train in Gela! That's like the coldest city in
Sicily I think. Anziano Pace is taking his place in Rome 5. He's Sorella Pace's
cousin, and she trained Sorella Margheriti! Whoa. I get to serve with my mission
grandma's cousin. Sweet! Anziano Barrow is staying in Terni and Anziano Calvagna
is going to be his comp!! Seriously, every time I went to Rome 1 I'd tell him it
was the last time I'd see him but now he's getting moved to my district.
Hahahaha we're just such good friends now that the Lord can't take separating us
I guess! And Sorella Jones is leaving Rome 1... This is sad for me. But at least
Sorella Cano and Sorella Nagliati are staying. They'll be our new STLs! Go Rome
East!!!

Anziano Puff
is taking Anziano Romano's place as assistant. HAHAHA THAT IS SO FUNNY, I'M
EXCITED TO SEE THIS. Every time I think I'm never going to see him again
something happens and I do. I bet he's going to do the next round of transfer
calls so I'm preparing myself to not take him seriously... since he likes to
mess with me and all. Meanie! That's my mission dad for ya.

HEY GUESS
WHAT EVERYBODY. WE HAVE A SENIOR COUPLE IN ROME 5 NOW AND THEY ARE THE BOOOMBBBBBBBBB. Their names are Anziano and Sorella Anderson! They're from Utah
and they've been serving in Italy for a year now. We went to visit them on
Saturday. They had just arrived from Caserta and were suuuper tired... but
they're so energetic you could barely tell. Sorella Anderson is one of THE
funniest women I have ever met in my life and she's totally spunky, you can't
not love her. And Anziano Anderson is funny too! They're just both amazing. I am
SO happy to be able to work with them here. :)

Sadly
our investigators have been really hard to reach lately, either because of work
and daily life or not responding when we call them. Frances disappeared and
we've been trying to contact her but nothing's worked yet. We're going to try
going to her house and see if that works. Also we got to see Alfonso so Sorella
Margheriti could say bye to him and it was great! We had a good talk and he had
brought Fabio and then we took an epic selfie all together since there was nowhere
decent to put the camera for a group shot... Hahaha. I guess my photography
skills haven't rusted yet!

We've
been helping Franca find ancestors at the cemetery and she's been filling out a
little genealogy book in preparation for the temple! Rome 5 is going in July and
we're trying to figure out how to get Franca there with the members. We're
hoping money won't be a problem so we're praying for a miracle. I know Sorella
Margheriti will be at the Switzerland temple with her stake when Rome 5 goes up
there so it would be AMAZING for her to be present when Franca does her first
set of family names. I can't even imagine. It would be so special! So like I
said, lots of prayers. :)

Side note,
we saw ANZIANO GARDENHIRE again this week!!!! It was so awesome! We actually
were getting on the train to go home Saturday night and he was the first person
we saw when we climbed on! Like WHAT are the odds??? He was traveling back to
Rome 5 with Anziano Smith (he has also served in Rome 5) and since they're dying (Note : Both are going back home)
this transfer they wanted to come back for their last Sunday in Italy to say
goodbye to the members. I mean... Rome 5 is just that awesome. :) But yeah, we
were totally not expecting to see them on the train!!! I don't believe in
coincidences. It was meant to be. :)

Speaking
of dying missionaries... This transfer will be a little rough for me emotionally
because I'm losing a lot of good friends this week and next transfer. But I know
it'll be okay. They served their time and it's our job to keep their work going.
:)

Oh,
some bad news. We got some weird stomach flu after our scambi (me in Rome, Margs
in Pescara) so we weren't doing too well this weekend. It was actually awful,
nausea gets really annoying and tiring after a while and not being able to eat
anything stinks. Cuz we love food and all... hahaha! But we slept a lot and
we're better now and doing our best to enjoy our last days as companions here in
Rome 5. I've learned so much from Sorella Margheriti and I know she'll bless her
next area and her new companion. I'll miss her more than I can say but I know I
made a best friend here in Rome and that's never going to change, no matter the
distance between us. :)

This week has a lot in store so next Monday will be interesting,
that's for sure. Until then! Vi voglio bene. :)

Mamma Gigante is having me draw out parables for her Primary class and I started
out with all the good intent of an artist but as you can see from the picture
below... time was short and I got tired. At least it's better than stick
figures. hahaha/ Mamma Gigante mi ha fatto disegnare le parabole per la sua classe in primaria
e ho cominciato con tutte le buone intenzioni di un'artista ma come
potete immaginare dalla foto qui in basso... non c'era piu' tempo e mi
sono stancata. Almeno sono meglio delle figurine stilizzate ..ahahah